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Fred Johnson (Books)
Frederick "Fred" Lucius Johnson is a former Colonel of the United Nations Marine Corps, one of the most decorated officers in the UN military, and the de facto leader of the OPA. Appearence He is a dark-skinned man with heavy facial bones of an Earther. Background Fred Johnson became famous when he was a Captain with command over three missile frigates. He destroyed a dozen pirate ships and two major bases, causing a drop in piracy in the Belt. Johnson was promoted and given command over the Coalition Marine division responsible for policing the Belt, where he continued to serve with distinction. When Anderson Station was taken by insurgents, Colonel Johnson led the successful attack to retake the station, killing 173 armed insurgents and over a thousand civilians. This battle earned him fame in the inner planets and the Medal of Freedom, the UN Marines' highest honor, but in the Belt he became known as "The Butcher of Anderson Station". Unable to cope with his actions, Johnson resigned from the Marine Corps and publicly apologized for his actions. Going underground for years, he started frequenting bars in the Belt, drinking heavily and getting in skirmishes with the OPA, until he encountered Anderson Dawes who recruited him to the OPA. Four years after his disappearance, Johnson showed up during a Belter revolt against the Coalition on the Pallas colony. He spent a year negotiating between the Coalition and the insurgents, ending the conflict peacefully and improving conditions for workers on the asteroid, and earning Johnson status as a hero in the Belt. Eros Incident After spending ten years working peacefully to improve the lives of Belters and giving up his Earth citizenship, Johnson has become the OPA's spokesperson and de facto leader, operating out of Tycho Station. On the Knight's way to meet up with the Donnager Fred sends a message to Jim Holden. He tells him that Holden is about to play a major part in the events to come. He assures him that Holden has allies in the belt and while Holden is in the custody of the MCRN to use the word ubiquitous in his first sentence to let Fred know he is not being coerced. After the Donnager is destroyed and the crew of the Tochi escapes, Holden, unsure what to do next contacts him. Fred then gives Holden directions and new transponder codes for his ship. Upon the arival of the Rocinante formerly the Tachi, Fred meets Holden and his crew. He escorts them to their rooms and explains his situation. An all out war between the Belt and Mars would bring about a horrible amount of deaths. However, there is one way to save all the blood shed; view the destruction of the Canterbury and Donnager as a criminal act instead of an act of war allowing for a trial incriminating a group that both the OPA and the Martian Congressional Republic can agree on. In the event of a trial Holden and his crew would be the star witnesses having experienced both ship's destruction first hand and give Fred and the OPA credibility in the process. A few days later Fred calls Holden to his office. He asks Holden if he can borrow his ship. Holden refuses but offers to go instead if he knows the details. After Fred thinks about it he explains the job; Lionel Polanski, a fake alias created by Mr. Tycho to own things he doesn't want know publicly such as the Scopuli, has checked into a hotel on Eros. Due to them being a fake person Fred knows it's someone who knows the OPA intimately and is in trouble. Holden negotiates in exchange for the Martian data cube from Donnager to be allowed for his ship and crew to be signed on as independent contractors for the OPA. Fred does put one condition on Holden being signed on; he has the right to outbid any one else who tries to hire the Rocinante. Once the crew of the Roci arrives on Eros and meets Miller Fred sends them a message saying that they have found a mole on Tycho sending the crews location. When the Rociante makes it back to Tycho after leaving Eros and stopping at the remains of the Scopuli Fred meets with Holden and Miller and reads over the after action report. They discus the only way to stop Protogen is to assault the station that is controlling it. Later after Miller is able to obtain the coordinates to Thoth Station where the Eros incident is being managed from. During the battle at Thoth station, Fred arrives with the ground forces on the Guy Molinari where he guides the OPA forces to the station's ops center. One Miller arrives and meets Antony Dresden, Miller calls Fred there. Once Fred meets Dresden, he begins to bargain with Fred believing the entire assault to a hostage scenario. Once Fred and the crew of the Rocinate arive, Dresden begins to explain the Protomolecule and Protogen's involvement. Miller eventually hears enough of Dresden and shoots him in the head much to everyone's surprise. Holden begins yelling at Miller, telling him to find his own way home. Only Fred shows no reaction. Once back on Tycho Fred pays Miller for his time on Thoth. Category:Viewpoint characters Category:Characters